You may have heard of me from "Go!" ft. Joell Ortiz & Slug (of Atmosphere) or "Bars & Hooks" ft. Sean Price & The Kid Daytona (prod. by Harry Fraud). If not, I'm nothing like that guy. I make protest music, for stick-up kids. I made being political cool again. I make art to make change, and entertain people doin it. I am Hip Hop.
2. How long have you been making music?
My first rap 'performance' was when I was a senior in high school, as the emcee of the now-annual Diversity Day I created that year alongside the Anti-Defamation League. I rapped all the way through college at Vassar and formed a little crew known as Sub-Way Stiles in the early 2000s, working with Blended Babies, Harry Fraud and BLESTeNATION (RIP), among others. But I didn't start collaborating with multiple producers and really putting out records for a large audience until around 2009, when I began networking (through myspace!) with producers all over the world. That was the beginning of World View, the first-ever 100% for-charity global Hip Hop project, available now. http://djbooth.it/wrldvw X http://djbooth.it/wvbonus
3. How many songs /albums have you released to date?
- Sub-Way Stiles Presents: The Sub-Way Mixtape, 06/08/2006, no longer available
- The AWKWORD EP, 06/08/2006, no longer available
- '"The People's Champ" x "See The Light"' (Double Single), 08/01/2007, no longer available
- See The Light (LP), 04/01/2008, no longer available
- "The People's Champions" ft. Shabaam Sahdeeq, Punchline & Beretta 9 [prod. by Harry Fraud] (Single), 04/15/2011
- "Bars & Hooks" ft. Sean Price, The Kid Daytona & The Incomparable Shakespeare [prod. by Harry Fraud] (Single), 12/05/2011
- "Throw Away The Key" [prod. by L.Ment (Canada)] (Single), 07/30/2012
- AWKWORD & Cletus Are: Remnants & Rejects (EP), 08/10/2012
- "Go!" ft. Joell Ortiz, Slug [of Atmosphere] & Maya Azucena [prod. by Domingo] (Single), 11/05/2013
- "Gas Land (Frack Off)" ft. Chaundon [prod. by Numonics] (Single), 01/31/2014
- World View (LP), 02/02/2014
- "Whose Streets?" [prod. by Delegation of Sound (Netherlands)] (Single), 02/25/2014
- World View Bonus Disc (LP), 03/17/2014
4. Can you tell us about your new project and the background behind it?
World View is the first-ever 100% for-charity global Hip Hop project. The 19-track album (plus 19-track bonus disc) represents the fruition of five years of toil. I executive produced this, organically, as life went on. What started as a remix mixtape became an historical moment in Hip Hop history. The album boasts contributions from six continents and 16 countries, with more than 130 artists participating to create an album that at once plays like an AWKWORD solo project and a Rawkus-era compilation. With a small grant from The Morgan Stanley Foundation and the support of The DJ Booth, I endeavored to connect us all through Hip Hop, worldwide, while giving back to the very communities that birthed the culture that we love and live. With World View I show the world that their wars don't separate us. And all proceeds from World View go to Guns 4 Cameras, a 501c3 charity that goes beyond the gun exchange, working to eradicate street violence through the Hip Hop-inspired education and empowerment of at-risk youth.
5. How have you ended up in the music industry?
I'm NOT in the music industry. I am a DIY solo artist, who represents himself and pays no one to help him make moves. Everything I've built, I've built myself, organically, painstakingly, slowly. But steady wins the race, and the supporters I have are die hard. I see y'all as family.
Further, I NEVER want to END UP anywhere. I chose my path, and it's atypical. I don't do this to make a living, I make more 'blind' contributions than public appearances. I make audio art and hope the people like it, that's it.
6. What do you think of the music industry at the moment?
It's just like every other industry. It's designed to make $$$, no matter who gets hurt.
7. Who inspires you when you make your music?
My mom (RIP), the most selfless, sensitive gangster activist I ever met.
8. Who have you collaborated with so far in your Career?
Rappers/Singers include: AKIR, AWOL One, Blame One, Block McCloud, C-Rayz Walz, Chaundon, Chief Kamachi, Chino XL, Dom O Briggs, ILL BILL, Jadakiss, Jasiri X, Joell Ortiz, Josh Martinez [Canada], Jus Daze, KRS-One, L*A*W, Main Flow, MarQ Spekt, Maya Azucena, Pace Won, Poison Pen, Punchline, REKS, Rickie Jacobs, Sean Price, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Sha Stimuli, SHI 360 [Israel], SHIRT, Slug (of Atmosphere), Tenacity, The Kid Daytona, The Incomparable Shakespeare, Vast Aire, Viro the Virus {RIP}, Y-Love.
Producers/DJs include: Amin PaYnE [Australia], ATG, Cletus [Italy], Delegation of Sound [Netherlands], Dismas [Romania], DJ Dyllemma, DJ Trickalome [UK], Dominant1 [Malawi], Domingo, Fafu, Fresh Nerd, Harry Fraud, Numonics, Slim K, Steel Tipped Dove, The Aqua League, The White Shadow [Norway], Tone Spliff, Tranzformer, Trilian [Serbia].
9. Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Rappers: Pusha T, Cam'ron, Chuck D, Talib Kweli, Black Thought, Immortal Technique
Producers: DJ Premier, El-P, Alchemist, Statik Selektah
10. What was the first album you bought?
With my own money, Dr. Dre's The Chronic.
11. What's your favorite song at the moment?
A toss up between Schoolboy Q's "Break The Bank" and "Man Of The Year".
12. If you had to sell your music collection tomorrow, what album would you leave in your drawer?
Gang Starr's Moment Of Truth.
13. What do you think of TV music talent show competitions?
For rappers, not much. Pay dues, bro... But quite hypocritically, outside my genre, it's all good to me. The few times I've watched these shows, I've seen some people who can really sing. I mean, shit, throughout history performers have had to try out and compete with their peers to get in front of the biggest (or richest or most important) audience(s). Just think of jesters and kings.
14. What do you do when you're not making music?
What I used to do and what I do now are very different. Now, I kick it with my family. We got a great thing, and I love that peace. It's different.
15. How many hats do you own?
Bout 20. My favorites are the black Frank's Chop Shop straight razor fitted, the navy 10 Deep five-finger ring fitted, the pink on black Mishka Africa fitted and the black DOPE x Cam'ron KILLA snapback. In the winter I fux with American Apparel knitted joints hardbody.
16. How many followers do you have on twitter?
As of this second, 7,706.
17. How do you feel about Underground Hip Hop at the moment? Do things need to change?
The strongest it's ever been. Just look at World View.
18. What are your thoughts on the All That Dope Shit Blog?
Y'all asked some of the most interesting and unique questions of any of the myriad interviewers I've come across. That's indicative of the quality of your blog. Word up.
19. Anything else you would like to add?
“If they give you ruled paper, write the other way.” — Juan Ramón Jiménez
“Anything a writer writes should be written with the urgency of someone holding a gun in their mouth.” — Maya Angelou
AND BUY THE FUCKIN ALBUM: http://djbooth.it/wrldvw X http://AWKWORD.bandcamp.com/album/World-View
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